Sticking to a schedule for running at Christmas
Sticking to a schedule for running at Christmas
Running at Christmas can be a funny business… Christmas is without question the most joyous time of year! But it can also get a bit hectic, too!
From so many people rushing to pick up some last-minute Christmas shopping, to making sure they get all their work finished before the year is out, you’d be lucky to catch your breath as we head towards December 25th.
And with so much going on, how are dedicated runners supposed to catch their breath and stick to their running at Christmas time? When the majority of runners fit their daily trek around an already-busy lifestyle, what can be done to create more time when there seemingly is none?
At The Running Bee Foundation we host numerous running events across the year, including the Jingle Bee Jog which always proves to be a festive delight! So we like to think we have a few good ideas about running at Christmas.
With this in mind, here are a few tips to stick to your schedule for running at Christmas:
Get your Christmas shopping done early
This is the big one that always catches everybody out!
While some of us take advantage of the Black Friday sales (or even earlier) far too many of us leave it until the last minute to take care of our Christmas shopping.
This usually means a last-minute dash to the shops to find the special people in our life the perfect gift. Unfortunately, thousands upon thousands of other people often follow suit and what was supposed to be one trip ends up being broken down into several trips over the remaining days until Christmas.
This can seriously eat into your running time!
So, if you haven’t already, be sure to get the rest of your Christmas shopping done pronto! Otherwise you’ll be stuck in a queue when you should be gearing up for running at Christmas!
Switch evening runs to morning runs
Those of us who have to rise early in the morning for work often enjoy fitting in a swift run at the end of the day as a way to release some steam after work.
But as the cold nights set in and the sun begins to set faster and faster each day, it can be easy to feel disheartened at the thought of heading out for a run in the evening.
Plus, as we’ve discussed, there’s a whole lot we need to take care of in the evenings as we head towards Christmas day.
Solution? Switch your evening runs to early morning runs!
It might mean setting your alarm 30 mins or an hour earlier than you normally would, but getting your exercise fix out of the way first-thing means you won’t have to worry about getting it done later. This leaves you free to get to work on all the pre-Christmas planning you have to do!
Don’t eat too much!
While Christmas Day is the typical day when we tend to over-indulge in all manner of delicious Christmas goodies, studies have shown that the majority of people treat the whole month of December as a kind of “food warm-up session.”
This leads to unwanted weight gain before the big day has even begun and will undoubtedly affect our running performance.
Add to this the masses of turkey and stuffing you’ll likely consume once Christmas finally arrives and you’re not only putting a massive strain on your running performance but you’re overall health as well.
So the next time you feel like reaching for a mince pie, think like Rudolph and reach for a carrot instead!
Account for the weather/temperature
When the winter months hit there’s no escaping those bitter mornings and chilly evenings. But this also often brings some pretty nasty weather too.
From sharp sleet to thick snow, winter certainly is the most excitable month when it comes to changes in the weather.
Unfortunately, this can make for less than desirable running conditions. And while they do present a challenge for some, for most they’re an unwelcome annoyance and easily disrupt our running plans.
While you can’t avoid the weather, you can certainly plan for it!
Over the winter months, and especially in the lead-up to Christmas, keep a keen eye on the weather forecasts to plan when is the best/worst time to fit in your daily run.
Heck, if there’s a blizzard on the way, this is for your safety more than anything else!
But you needn’t worry about safety with The Running Bee Foundation – our running events are some of the most popular in the country, set up by running event experts with years of experience!
Want to know more? Check out our official event listings here and sign up for a running event near you!